“Quo Vadis” is a 1951 epic film based upon the
19th century novel written by renowned Polish author, Henry
Sienkiewicz. The film was produced by MGM Studios and was directed by Mervyn
Leroy. It stars Robert Taylor, Deborah
Kerr, Leo Genn, Patricia Laffan, Finlay Currie, Buddy Baer, and Sir Peter
Ustinov along with a cast of thousands more. The title is in reference to a
traditional Christian story regarding the apostle Peter’s fleeing from Rome:
Peter was fleeing Rome in fear only to be stopped by Christ who appeared to Him
which then bade him to ask the Lord “Where are you going” (“Quo Vadis” in
Latin) to which the Lord replied “I’m going to Rome to be crucified again.”
Characters
Marcus Vinicius (Robert Taylor) is a loyal Roman
tribune who is bent on winning the heart of his lover Lygia at the price of
acknowledging Rome’s collapse of glory. Despite this endeavor he discovers true
worth again by eventually coming to accept belief in Christ while after having
won over Lygia.
Lygia (Deborah Kerr) is the Christian daughter of a
noble foreign ruler who has been adopted by the Roman nobleman and general,
Plautius who is also a Christian. She encounters Roman Tribune Marcus Vinicius
as he spends the night at Plautius’ house. Unknowingly she is in love with
Marcus and eventually admits it to him. Though her love for him is challenged
she ends up being the protagonist in the conversion of her lover and later to
be husband.
Petronius (Leo Genn) is a loyal Roman courtier of the
Emperor Nero who is also the uncle of Marcus Vinicius. He too shares in Marcus’
ambition for the glory of Rome in whom he gladly assists in his loving
endeavor. Eventually, while having no doubt of Nero’s insanity, he commits
suicide knowing that he would have still suffered such a fate under the rule of
the mad emperor.
Nero (Sir Peter Ustinov) is the Roman emperor who is
completely out of his mind. Petronius is the only person he seems to trust
while being suspiciously paranoid with all else. Even then, Petronius is not
enough to sway his insanity, for he sets Rome on fire while putting the blame
on the Christians which results in a stage of brutal persecution which makes
matters for him even worse to where he is led to commit suicide.
Poppaea (Patricia Laffan) is the evil wife of the
Emperor Nero who has an influence on both his behavior and actions. At the same
time though, she lusts after Marcus Vinicius. However, when Marcus betrays her
affection for him she then seeks revenge by devising a cruel plan of vendetta
where Lygia’s life is put at stake in the arena to which Marcus is a witness.
Peter (Finlay Currie) is the leader of the Christians
in Rome during the insane reign of Nero. He works in strengthening his
Christian brethren in their Faith. He also plays a role in helping Marcus to
discover Christ. As his last good act, he manages to join Marcus and Lygia in
marriage before being crucified upside down.
Ursus (Buddy Baer) is a Christian
slave of General Plautius. He is very strong, child-like at heart, and strongly
devoted to his task of safeguarding Lygia. He remains steadfast in his devotion
to the point of being condemned with Lygia to the arena where he must fight a
vicious bull.
Plot
The story takes place in
the first century A.D. during the reign of Emperor Nero. It begins with Roman
tribune Marcus Vinicius marching to Rome with his troops upon returning from a
successful combat only to be delayed on entrance by orders of the Emperor Nero.
He then resides for the evening in the home of General Plautius. While there he
meets Plautius’ adopted daughter, Lygia, and soon falls in love with her. He is
unable to acquire her due to her devoted strong guard & slave, Ursus.
After making his
triumphant entrance into Rome on the following day, he seeks help from his
uncle Petronius on acquiring her. Petronius is able to arrange this through the
issuing of an order from the emperor for her to attend an imperial banquet of
celebration. Here Marcus encounters her and informs her that she has been
designated to be his concubine. While she is being escorted under guard, to his
quarters, Ursus ambushes the guards thus allowing her to escape.
Marcus searches for her
at Plautius’ home only to discover that she has not returned since the banquet.
Through help, namely from his uncle, Marcus learns that she is a Christian and
finds a spy who will be able to take him to their secret gatherings. Here he finds
Lygia but also learns of the primary beliefs of this suspicious religious sect
when the apostle Peter recounts his story of being called by Christ to follow
him. He secretly follows Lygia and her clan after the gathering only to be
knocked unconscious by Ursus after discovering his secret following of them.
Ursus brings him to Plautius’ home where he is nursed by Lygia. Upon revival
Marcus, preparing to leave out of frustration, is stopped by Lygia after she
cries out that she doesn’t hate him in which then Marcus realizes that she is
in love with him after all. They talk about going away and living happily
together until Lygia brings Christ into the conversion by stating she cannot
abandon Faith in him. She tries to get Marcus to understand and see Christ as
she does but he becomes outraged and leaves.
Later after being wooed
by Nero’s wife, Poppaea, he learns that Rome has been set ablaze. He then
rushes to Rome on a chariot to save Lygia and her family. However, while he is
saving them, Nero becomes worried as an angry mob of citizens marches on the
palace. Through the influence of his court, mainly his wife, he decrees the
blame to be put upon the Christians. As a result, many Christians are arrested,
among them Lygia and her family. Marcus attempts to release her and her family
only to be arrested himself on mere jealously of Poppaea, whose affection he
betrayed. Subsequently the brutal vitality in the arena begins as Christians
are torn apart and eaten by hungry lions and later being hung on cross-shaped
poles to be burned alive. Peter too is eventually shown being crucified upside
down. Yet despite the brutality, Nero is shocked to hear these Christian
martyrs singing joyously amidst their execution.
Finally, as part of a
grand finale prepared by Poppaea, Marcus is brought to the Emperor’s stand of
the arena to witness the cruel play of Lygia being bound to the fate between
the showdown of Ursus and a vicious bull. As the fight escalates Marcus now
expresses his faith in Christ. Ursus succeeds in killing the bull. Marcus,
having freed himself, runs out to Lygia in the arena. The crowd, being amazed,
shows that they want them to live. Nero, though reluctant at first, gives the
thumbs down for their death. However, Marcus’ fellow tribunes save them by
killing the executing squad of guards in the arena. Marcus then announces to
all in the Coliseum that Roman General Galba is currently on his way to Rome
with the intent of replacing Nero. Shocked at the outcome, Nero flees to the
palace. After having killed his wife out of rage and madness, he encounters one
of his former concubines who assists him in committing suicide.
On the following morning,
to the appeasement of Marcus and his fellow leading tribunes, General Galba
marches triumphantly into Rome as its new ruler. In the end Marcus and Lygia,
having been married by Peter before his crucifixion, ride off with Ursus and a
young friend of Peter’s to now live happily together. As they ride away they
come across the spot where the Lord met Peter as he was fleeing Rome. The final
scene concludes with the sight of Peter’s crook staff, where a radiant is seen
in the background while the words “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life” are
uttered.
Film Review
Being shot on location in
Rome greatly contributed to the films historical setting. Moreover the
incredible cast of characters really brings about an authentic portrayal of
ancient Rome in its days of glory. Though I must admit, some of the characters
costumes did seem rather fancy yet they all still greatly display the kind of
dress for every class of people in this day of age.
In addition the acting is
outstanding, especially with Sir Peter Ustinov as Emperor Nero; Sir Peter
Ustinov’s motions & facial expressions as Nero give a vivid portrayal of
someone who is totally insane all around. Needless to say that his singing is
absurd like Nero’s has been recorded to be. 1 Not only is his
character well done but also that of the other main characters. For instance,
Marcus and Petronius, as loyal citizens of Rome, consistently express a rather
authentically portrayed legitimate care & concern for the welfare of their
glorious city which they hold to heart. Additionally, Lygia, like all the other
Christians, shows both boldness and love for her Faith, amidst struggling with
her love for Marcus.
Here now, I believe it is
important to make note on the film’s genre of romance. Robert Taylor (Marcus) may
give off a good act of a man’s pursuit for a beautiful virgin, however his
obsession for Lygia may make people wonder if he too has vaguely lost his mind.
While Deborah Kerr (Lygia) on the other hand, shows her character as leaving
her feelings to be all but mysterious until she exclaims them to Marcus at
about half-way through the film. Overall the film really takes a bigger hit on
its romance than the historical aspect of it.
While we are on the topic
of historical facts, it is important to note the role they play in the setting
of this fictional story of romance. Rome was indeed heading for peril under the
reign of Nero. Though it had been undercurrent during his early years it became
more prevalent as time went on. It really took its height when Nero put the
blame on the Christians for the burning of Rome as is indicated in the film. As
a result he had many burned alive in the arena.1
However, the cruelty didn’t end here it escalated to where the Christians
experienced even more gruesome deaths such as being fed to hungry beasts, all
of which we see in about the last quarter of the film. But despite these cruel
executions, the early Christian martyrs would remain joyous to the very end
much to the surprise of the Romans especially Nero who, in the film, is shocked
to see them singing. Truly the early Christians deemed it a privilege for their
suffering and death to be in imitation of that of Christ’s.2
In conclusion, the movie is
like a typical Hollywood film you would expect for this day in age, namely a
story of romance and drama. Nonetheless the actors make their characters come
alive to where you feel drawn into the story yourself. In that regard the plot
remains generally true to the novel version written by Henry Sienkiewicz.
Truly, Sienkiewicz’s fictional novel, much like the movie, accurately relates
the tension between these two contrasting worlds: the Kingdom of God vs. a
glorious earthly empire.3 Overall it is reassuring to behold this visual
masterpiece to where people today can finally get a glimpse of these sort of
conventions from centuries past.
Bibliography
1 Leithart, Peter J. “Witness Unto Death.” Institute of
Religion & Public Life, Jan. 2013. Web. 5 Feb. 2016. <http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=2&sid=6c684a97-e418-43388-90e0-751fd09de05b@sessionmgr4003&hid=4107>
2 Galli, Mark. “The Persecuting Emperors.” Christian
Today International, Jan. 2016. Web. 5 Feb. 2016. <http://www.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=2&sid=fa70037f-9bb5-4e19-8962-82df84887dfa%40sessionmgr400&hid=4214&bdata=JmF1dGh0eXB1PWNvb2tpZSxjcGlkJmN1c3RpZD1zOTI0NTgzNCZzaXR1PWVob3N0LWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#AN=9064244241&db=rlh>
3 Gessner, Peter K. “Henryk
Sienkiewicz and Quo Vadis.” University of Buffalo, Oct. 1997. Web. Feb. 2016.
<http://info-Poland.buffalo.edu/classroom/sienkiewicz/QV.html>
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